Corset-stay



(No MoaeL l M. P. BRAY.

GORSBT STAY. y k No. 259,084- y y Patented June 6, 1882..

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORRIS P. BRAY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHSETTS.

CO RS ET-STAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,084, dated June 6, 1882.

` Application tiled February 1, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MORRIS l?. BRAY, otV Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new Improvement in Corset-Stays; and I do hereby declare the following, whentaken in connection with accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a section ot' the reed enlarged; Fig. 2, a section of the two strips placed together; Fig. 3, the strips covered.

lhs invention relates to an improvement in the manufacture of stays for corsets, as a substitute for whalebone, commonly used.

Stays have been made from reed-splits. Reed, or commonly called rattan,77 possesses considerable elasticity, but lacks the durability which is necessary for such stays. The

outer surface of reeds is very smooth and hard, but they are of too large diameter to be used for stays, hence they are split into thin strips, or if eut from the outer surface they would only present one side in their natural condition, the other side, being split, is weakened and absorbs quickly, and would last little, if any, longer than a regularly-split strip.

The object of this invention is to produce a stay from reed which shall expose upon both sides the natural outer` surface of the reed; and it consists in cutting strips longitudinally from the reed, bamboo, or like material, tak ing the outer surface to the extent required for the width of the stay, then placing two such strips together, the cut surfaces meeting, and so that the two opposite sides both preserve the natural surface of the reed, and making a stay of elliptical form, then covering the two together so as to securely unite them, as more fully hereinafter described.

From the reed A, Fig. 1, I strip longitudinal cuttings from thc outside a a, each in width according to the stay required to be produced, and flat upon the inside, similar to the stripping for chair-making purposes. l then place two of these strips the fiat sides together, as

seen in Fig. 2, leaving the curved natural surface outward, and run them through abraidingmachine, which will lay a covering, b, thereon, as seen in Fig. 3, binding the two parts together. Instead of braiding, any other suitable covering may be employed; or they may be otherwise secured together, as by winding at intervals, or clasps applied at intervals, it

only being essential that the two thicknesses be bound together, so as to present the natural surface of the reed upon the outsides. These strips I cut to the required length in the usual manner for cutting stays from whalebone.

Because of the natural surface which forms the outside surfacetis retained and given to the stay, substantially as it' it were the natura-l or original. shape of the reed, and it possesses all the advantages due to the exterior surface of the reed, not only asto elasticity, but preventing the absorption of moisture from the .body or other wise.

The material of which the stay is composed is very cheap, so that compared with whalel bone the stays may be produced at very much less cost, and are found to be quite as durable, because by the uniting of the two thicknesses in a single stay the one strengthens the other.

I claiml. Thehereiudescribed stay for corsets, cousisting of the two strips cut from the outside of reed, bamboo, or like material, and their flat sides placed together and secured so as to present the natural surface on the outside, making stay elliptical in form, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described stay for corsets, consisting of the two strips cut from the outside of reed, bamboo, or like material, and their flat sides placed vtogether and secured so as to present the natural surface on the outside, making a stay elliptical in form, the stay being closed by a covering, substantially as dcscribed and shown.

MORRIS P. BRAY.

Witnesses:

LILLIAN D. ROGERS, JOHN E. EARLE.

the outside of the stay, the full strength of 

